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| Authors | R Mallia J P Camilleri C Camenzuli P Cacciottolo J Cauchi A Safraz P Schembri Wismayer |
| Abstract | Background: Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) are considered quantitatively as the most important group of viruses related to benign and malignant neoplasia in humans. A recent study reported the presence of HPV in malignant breast tissue suggesting that HPV may infect the epithelium of the nipple and areola and proposing a possible association with breast malignancy. Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyse benign and malignant breast tissue to check whether there was a significant incidence of HPV DNA found in Maltese breast tumours and to assess whether any difference occurs between this incidence in malignant and benign breat tumours. Methods: Tumour tissue was isolated by deparaffinisation from thick sections of tumour material identified by pathological examination. DNA was extracted by a previuosly published method. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on this DNA using actin primers (to control for DNA quality and PCR efficacy) and with three different sets of HPV primers (to detect most common strains of HPV). Results: No HPV DNA was detected in any breast tumour in the initial sample of 20 tested, analysis of a larger sample is in progress. This despite clear actin amplification in all samples and HPV clearly detected in cervical tumour DNA Conclusion: Maltese breast tumours appear to show a lower incidence of HPV DNA positivity than in some published studies. |
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| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
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| Key words | benign, breast tumours, malignant, human papilloma virus |